Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh: Bakura explained the story behind Richard Pegasus.
He said he was willingly possessed by Yami Bakura, who had made false
promises to revive Maxmillion. His true plan was to bring back his body,
but not his soul. He would then take his empty body as his own and use its
power as head of Industrial Illusions to collect the other Millennium
Items.
~
Rathje and Yasumi stood in the ocean caverns, slowly walking. Rathje had lead Yasumi there quite quickly. He knew that this was where he would find the five star-chips he needed to enter Castle Pegasus. Yasumi appeared to be a little afraid of the caverns, what with the changing water level.
"Don't worry, Yasumi," Rathje reassured, "I won't let you die in this cave."
Yasumi glared back, "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
"Well," Rathje commented, "judging by the death-grip you have on my arm, I'd say you don't really like it in here."
Yasumi, suddenly self-conscious of herself, looked down at Rathje's arm. She released her hold on him. They continued to walk along a strip of rock between two portions of water.
A wave hit the rock, splashing upward. The salty water licked at Yasumi's knees, causing her to fling her arms around Rathje and mutter something.
"What was that?" Rathje asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why do we have to go through these caves again?" Yasumi repeated, eyes shut tightly.
Rathje had stopped walking, "Dark Rose is in here, I have to challenge her to double my star-chips. Then I will have ten star-chips and I will be able to enter Castle Pegasus. You're welcome to wait outside."
Yasumi paused for a moment, "No, I'm fine."
"Then you're welcome to let go."
Yasumi sighed, letting go of Rathje, who began walking once more. Yasumi jumped every now and then at the sounds of the caves. She kept quite close to Rathje, who remained silent.
"Rathje?" a voice called out, "Is that you?"
"Rose?" Rathje replied to the caves.
A girl appeared. She looked around the same age as Rathje. She wore light clothing, allowing her to move quickly through the caves. She practically slithered down the cave wall. She stood before her friend.
They stared into one another's eyes. It had been a long while since they had seen the other. Rathje's stormy blue eyes became soft and misty as the were lost in Rose's black eyes.
Rathje contemplated what to say. So much time had passed. They were now enemies, though remained friends. They couldn't just act as normal friends would. Nor could they be bitter foes.
"Rose. . ." Rathje started.
"Do not speak," Rose stated, "I know why you are here."
Rose seemed to almost be crying. She knew that she would have to duel Rathje. Neither one wanted to, but they both had to. Rathje, because he needed the star-chips to challenge Pegasus. Rose, because she had to do her job as an eliminator and duel all who came against her.
"Let us duel now," Rose continued, "to get this over with."
Rathje merely nodded. As they climbed onto the dueling platforms, a single tear rolled down Rose's cheek.
~ Rathje/Rose's Flashback ~
"Hi," he greeted.
"Hi."
"Do you duel?" he asked.
She nodded. He smiled, holding up his dueling deck. The sat at a table opposite one another, placing their decks before them. They had just met. They were no older than 14. It was at a local tournament. Neither one was participating, they were both spectators, in a way.
"I play one monster face-down, and one magic or trap card and end my turn," she said.
"I play Harpie's Brother, another monster face-down, and one magic or trap card," he stated firmly, "My Harpie's Brother attacks your face-down monster."
She flipped her Man-eater Bug. She destroyed the Harpie's Brother as Man- eater Bug was sent to the graveyard. He ended his turn.
"I activate Ultimate Offering," she said, "Now I play 7-coloured Fish and Star-Boy. 7-coloured Fish attacks your face-down monster."
~
It had been three long years since that duel. They hadn't dueled since.
'In that tournament,' Rathje thought to himself, 'she merely came to watch. I was hosting it.'
The duel started. Rathje allowed Rose to go first. She drew. She then played one monster and one magic/trap and ended her turn.
Rathje drew. He played Harpie's Brother in attack mode, one monster face- down, and two magic/traps. Harpie's Brother attacked the face-down Man- eater Bug. Rose cringed slightly, selecting Harpie's Brother to be destroyed.
She drew, then activated Ultimate Offering. She played both 7-coloured Fish and Star-Boy, which powered her 7-coloured Fish up to 2300 attack points.
"I attack you face-down monster."
"But. . ." Rathje interrupted, "why?"
'I know, Rathje,' she thought.
"I said I attack," Rose repeated.
Rathje sighed, flipping his Witch of the Black Forest and then discarding it. He took a card from his deck and added it to his hand. Rose then ended her turn.
Rathje: 8000, Rose: 7500
Rathje drew. He played his Fiend Megacyber, which attacked Star-Boy, destroying it. 7-coloured Fish returned to it's normal attack points. Rose didn't lose any life points because the monster was in defense mode.
Rose played another magic/trap. She then played a Great White, then tributed both of them for Suijin. Suijin attacked Fiend Megacyber, but Rathje used Waboku.
Rathje: 8000, Rose: 7000
Rathje picked up a card. He stared across the arena knowingly.
"Why, Rose?" Rathje asked, "Why did you do it? You know what's coming."
Rose lowered her head, "Because I duel with what I feel is right. This is how I would duel if I didn't know every card you are going to play and all I am going to draw. These are the moves I would make in any given duel. I am playing Suijin without any others, despite that I know you just drew Fissure."
Rathje placed the card on the field. Rose nodded, discarding Suijin. Rathje played another monster face-down, then attacked with Fiend Megacyber.
Rathje: 8000, Rose: 5800
Yasumi stood at the side, confused. She forgot about the dangers of the caves. She didn't understand why Rose knew what was going to happen, or why Rathje was sad despite his early lead.
"I end my turn, Rose."
She drew. She played her monster face-down and ended her turn.
Rathje played Jirai Gumo, attacking the face-down monster with Fiend Megacyber. The card was a second Great White. Rathje ended his turn, his face quite grim.
Rose closed her eyes as she drew a card. She played her Dark Hole, destroying both face-up monsters. Rose then played WOW Warrior and Star Boy in attack mode, then tributed them for Buster Blader. Rathje exhaled loudly as he flipped his Trap Hole.
"Rose," Rathje started, "if you know what your opponent is going to play, do what you can to stop it. It doesn't matter if it wasn't what you would normally do. I want to face the true ferocity of your water-based deck!"
"Rathje. . ." Rose answered.
"What?" Rathje almost shouted in response.
"In our previous duel, you defeated me with your Gravekeeper's Servant, and that alone. After our duel, I looked through my deck to see what I would have drawn, and I could have defeated you, had I not attacked just once," Rose explained, tears flowing from her eyes, "I know that I can defeat you if I do not attack after you draw that Gravekeeper's Servant, but think, Rathje! Why would I? You're my friend, and I am your friend! Pegasus has forced us against each other!"
"Rose," Rathje murmured, "I'm sorry."
"I know," Rose looked up at him, smiling sadly, "and I have decided what to do."
She stared at her hand. A single tear fell from her cheek and landed on the top card. She sniffed slightly, placing her hand on her deck.
"Rathje," Rose declared, "I forfeit."
Rathje was dumbstruck. He almost fell backwards, barely catching himself. He stared in disbelief as the arena deactivated. The platforms lowered. Rose took her deck from the arena, as did Rathje. The stepped away from it and approached one another.
"Rose. . ." Rathje said slowly.
"Here," Rose managed to sniff, dropping five star-chips into Rathje's hand, "now go, go to Castle Pegasus. Beat them all, and Richard. You know you can, Rathje."
He was silent. The tears were falling at a steady pace. Yasumi was still confused. Rathje turned around slowly and left the cave, Yasumi chasing after him.
"Rathje, what happened back there?" Yasumi asked.
"She. . ." Rathje thought carefully about how to explain it, "we dueled once before, several years ago. It was at a tournament I was hosting at my house. She wasn't in the tournament, she was a spectator. In our duel, we played exactly the same way, card for card. We both knew it would be that way as soon as we drew our first five cards.
"I won the duel. It was by a mere six hundred life points, too. The card I destroyed. . ." Rathje voice paused, as did his feet, "It was Monster Reborn. She could have resurrected Suijin. I had out my La Ginn. But I had used Gravekeeper's Servant in our first duel, eliminating Monster Reborn. Thus she knew what would happen, so she could simply not attack, draw the Monster Reborn, and attack, defeating me."
"Why didn't she?" Yasumi stared at Rathje's solemn expression.
Rathje started walking again, "She knew why I needed the star-chips and thought it was worth risking her job as an eliminator."
Yasumi didn't say anything more. Rathje wasn't quite sure if she was waiting for him to continue, or had just run out of questions. They walked in silence. Neither one knew where they were headed.
"Yasumi," Rathje began, "you still need five more star-chips."
"Yes."
"Do you know how you are going to get them?"
"Dueling."
Rathje's eyes laughed a little, "I meant more specifically."
"Oh," Yasumi shrugged, "easy, I want to face an eliminator."
"Do you know who?"
"No, not really. Do you have any suggestions."
Rathje paused to think. He stared at his dueling glove, the ten star-chips shimmering in the light of the sunset, "Yes, I have one."
He removed five of the star-chips from his glove. His eyes were misty, maybe even slightly angry. He turned around, facing the ocean caverns once more. Now he was above them, the open sea before him. He cast the star- chips forward, releasing them to the water. Yasumi stared at him.
"I cannot accept those star-chips," Rathje's eyes were closed, his expression painful, "I did not earn them. That is why I must duel Howard and Katreda. They can only be challenged in a team duel, two on two. So I must find a partner to duel by my side. Yasumi Shiroko, will you duel with me against the two eliminators? We will both then have ten star-chips."
Yasumi was slightly shocked by what he had just done. She looked at his eyes, which were now flashing brilliantly. She merely nodded. Rathje smiled broadly, leading the way to their next duel.
~
Author's Note: Ya-hai! New chapter! Not much to say here, except. . .Ya- hai! Wait, I would also like to thank everybody who reviewed! I never thought I would have more reviews than I did chapters. . .well, I never thought I would have reviews, my ideas are so obscure and weird and yeah. . .I'll be quiet now. . .
~
Rathje and Yasumi stood in the ocean caverns, slowly walking. Rathje had lead Yasumi there quite quickly. He knew that this was where he would find the five star-chips he needed to enter Castle Pegasus. Yasumi appeared to be a little afraid of the caverns, what with the changing water level.
"Don't worry, Yasumi," Rathje reassured, "I won't let you die in this cave."
Yasumi glared back, "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
"Well," Rathje commented, "judging by the death-grip you have on my arm, I'd say you don't really like it in here."
Yasumi, suddenly self-conscious of herself, looked down at Rathje's arm. She released her hold on him. They continued to walk along a strip of rock between two portions of water.
A wave hit the rock, splashing upward. The salty water licked at Yasumi's knees, causing her to fling her arms around Rathje and mutter something.
"What was that?" Rathje asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why do we have to go through these caves again?" Yasumi repeated, eyes shut tightly.
Rathje had stopped walking, "Dark Rose is in here, I have to challenge her to double my star-chips. Then I will have ten star-chips and I will be able to enter Castle Pegasus. You're welcome to wait outside."
Yasumi paused for a moment, "No, I'm fine."
"Then you're welcome to let go."
Yasumi sighed, letting go of Rathje, who began walking once more. Yasumi jumped every now and then at the sounds of the caves. She kept quite close to Rathje, who remained silent.
"Rathje?" a voice called out, "Is that you?"
"Rose?" Rathje replied to the caves.
A girl appeared. She looked around the same age as Rathje. She wore light clothing, allowing her to move quickly through the caves. She practically slithered down the cave wall. She stood before her friend.
They stared into one another's eyes. It had been a long while since they had seen the other. Rathje's stormy blue eyes became soft and misty as the were lost in Rose's black eyes.
Rathje contemplated what to say. So much time had passed. They were now enemies, though remained friends. They couldn't just act as normal friends would. Nor could they be bitter foes.
"Rose. . ." Rathje started.
"Do not speak," Rose stated, "I know why you are here."
Rose seemed to almost be crying. She knew that she would have to duel Rathje. Neither one wanted to, but they both had to. Rathje, because he needed the star-chips to challenge Pegasus. Rose, because she had to do her job as an eliminator and duel all who came against her.
"Let us duel now," Rose continued, "to get this over with."
Rathje merely nodded. As they climbed onto the dueling platforms, a single tear rolled down Rose's cheek.
~ Rathje/Rose's Flashback ~
"Hi," he greeted.
"Hi."
"Do you duel?" he asked.
She nodded. He smiled, holding up his dueling deck. The sat at a table opposite one another, placing their decks before them. They had just met. They were no older than 14. It was at a local tournament. Neither one was participating, they were both spectators, in a way.
"I play one monster face-down, and one magic or trap card and end my turn," she said.
"I play Harpie's Brother, another monster face-down, and one magic or trap card," he stated firmly, "My Harpie's Brother attacks your face-down monster."
She flipped her Man-eater Bug. She destroyed the Harpie's Brother as Man- eater Bug was sent to the graveyard. He ended his turn.
"I activate Ultimate Offering," she said, "Now I play 7-coloured Fish and Star-Boy. 7-coloured Fish attacks your face-down monster."
~
It had been three long years since that duel. They hadn't dueled since.
'In that tournament,' Rathje thought to himself, 'she merely came to watch. I was hosting it.'
The duel started. Rathje allowed Rose to go first. She drew. She then played one monster and one magic/trap and ended her turn.
Rathje drew. He played Harpie's Brother in attack mode, one monster face- down, and two magic/traps. Harpie's Brother attacked the face-down Man- eater Bug. Rose cringed slightly, selecting Harpie's Brother to be destroyed.
She drew, then activated Ultimate Offering. She played both 7-coloured Fish and Star-Boy, which powered her 7-coloured Fish up to 2300 attack points.
"I attack you face-down monster."
"But. . ." Rathje interrupted, "why?"
'I know, Rathje,' she thought.
"I said I attack," Rose repeated.
Rathje sighed, flipping his Witch of the Black Forest and then discarding it. He took a card from his deck and added it to his hand. Rose then ended her turn.
Rathje: 8000, Rose: 7500
Rathje drew. He played his Fiend Megacyber, which attacked Star-Boy, destroying it. 7-coloured Fish returned to it's normal attack points. Rose didn't lose any life points because the monster was in defense mode.
Rose played another magic/trap. She then played a Great White, then tributed both of them for Suijin. Suijin attacked Fiend Megacyber, but Rathje used Waboku.
Rathje: 8000, Rose: 7000
Rathje picked up a card. He stared across the arena knowingly.
"Why, Rose?" Rathje asked, "Why did you do it? You know what's coming."
Rose lowered her head, "Because I duel with what I feel is right. This is how I would duel if I didn't know every card you are going to play and all I am going to draw. These are the moves I would make in any given duel. I am playing Suijin without any others, despite that I know you just drew Fissure."
Rathje placed the card on the field. Rose nodded, discarding Suijin. Rathje played another monster face-down, then attacked with Fiend Megacyber.
Rathje: 8000, Rose: 5800
Yasumi stood at the side, confused. She forgot about the dangers of the caves. She didn't understand why Rose knew what was going to happen, or why Rathje was sad despite his early lead.
"I end my turn, Rose."
She drew. She played her monster face-down and ended her turn.
Rathje played Jirai Gumo, attacking the face-down monster with Fiend Megacyber. The card was a second Great White. Rathje ended his turn, his face quite grim.
Rose closed her eyes as she drew a card. She played her Dark Hole, destroying both face-up monsters. Rose then played WOW Warrior and Star Boy in attack mode, then tributed them for Buster Blader. Rathje exhaled loudly as he flipped his Trap Hole.
"Rose," Rathje started, "if you know what your opponent is going to play, do what you can to stop it. It doesn't matter if it wasn't what you would normally do. I want to face the true ferocity of your water-based deck!"
"Rathje. . ." Rose answered.
"What?" Rathje almost shouted in response.
"In our previous duel, you defeated me with your Gravekeeper's Servant, and that alone. After our duel, I looked through my deck to see what I would have drawn, and I could have defeated you, had I not attacked just once," Rose explained, tears flowing from her eyes, "I know that I can defeat you if I do not attack after you draw that Gravekeeper's Servant, but think, Rathje! Why would I? You're my friend, and I am your friend! Pegasus has forced us against each other!"
"Rose," Rathje murmured, "I'm sorry."
"I know," Rose looked up at him, smiling sadly, "and I have decided what to do."
She stared at her hand. A single tear fell from her cheek and landed on the top card. She sniffed slightly, placing her hand on her deck.
"Rathje," Rose declared, "I forfeit."
Rathje was dumbstruck. He almost fell backwards, barely catching himself. He stared in disbelief as the arena deactivated. The platforms lowered. Rose took her deck from the arena, as did Rathje. The stepped away from it and approached one another.
"Rose. . ." Rathje said slowly.
"Here," Rose managed to sniff, dropping five star-chips into Rathje's hand, "now go, go to Castle Pegasus. Beat them all, and Richard. You know you can, Rathje."
He was silent. The tears were falling at a steady pace. Yasumi was still confused. Rathje turned around slowly and left the cave, Yasumi chasing after him.
"Rathje, what happened back there?" Yasumi asked.
"She. . ." Rathje thought carefully about how to explain it, "we dueled once before, several years ago. It was at a tournament I was hosting at my house. She wasn't in the tournament, she was a spectator. In our duel, we played exactly the same way, card for card. We both knew it would be that way as soon as we drew our first five cards.
"I won the duel. It was by a mere six hundred life points, too. The card I destroyed. . ." Rathje voice paused, as did his feet, "It was Monster Reborn. She could have resurrected Suijin. I had out my La Ginn. But I had used Gravekeeper's Servant in our first duel, eliminating Monster Reborn. Thus she knew what would happen, so she could simply not attack, draw the Monster Reborn, and attack, defeating me."
"Why didn't she?" Yasumi stared at Rathje's solemn expression.
Rathje started walking again, "She knew why I needed the star-chips and thought it was worth risking her job as an eliminator."
Yasumi didn't say anything more. Rathje wasn't quite sure if she was waiting for him to continue, or had just run out of questions. They walked in silence. Neither one knew where they were headed.
"Yasumi," Rathje began, "you still need five more star-chips."
"Yes."
"Do you know how you are going to get them?"
"Dueling."
Rathje's eyes laughed a little, "I meant more specifically."
"Oh," Yasumi shrugged, "easy, I want to face an eliminator."
"Do you know who?"
"No, not really. Do you have any suggestions."
Rathje paused to think. He stared at his dueling glove, the ten star-chips shimmering in the light of the sunset, "Yes, I have one."
He removed five of the star-chips from his glove. His eyes were misty, maybe even slightly angry. He turned around, facing the ocean caverns once more. Now he was above them, the open sea before him. He cast the star- chips forward, releasing them to the water. Yasumi stared at him.
"I cannot accept those star-chips," Rathje's eyes were closed, his expression painful, "I did not earn them. That is why I must duel Howard and Katreda. They can only be challenged in a team duel, two on two. So I must find a partner to duel by my side. Yasumi Shiroko, will you duel with me against the two eliminators? We will both then have ten star-chips."
Yasumi was slightly shocked by what he had just done. She looked at his eyes, which were now flashing brilliantly. She merely nodded. Rathje smiled broadly, leading the way to their next duel.
~
Author's Note: Ya-hai! New chapter! Not much to say here, except. . .Ya- hai! Wait, I would also like to thank everybody who reviewed! I never thought I would have more reviews than I did chapters. . .well, I never thought I would have reviews, my ideas are so obscure and weird and yeah. . .I'll be quiet now. . .